Higgins: Murphy breaking new ground in China

JOHN HIGGINS claimed Shaun Murphy was in the form of his life after the world number one was knocked out of the China Open at the quarter-final stage yesterday.

Murphy swept aside the Scot, the current UK and Welsh Open champion, 5-2, rattling off the last three frames with breaks of 108, 54 and 81.

Higgins, who only managed one contribution over 50, took a scrappy opener, before Murphy posted a 53 and a 78 to move 2-1 ahead.